Chapter 44: "Through the Gate"
Kaelen's muscles tightened as he struggled. The Abyss Dragon's claw was squeezing his ankle with incredible force, pulling him toward the dark chasm. The blue gate glowed faintly before him, but he was suspended between two worlds.
"Hold on!" Caleb yelled, gripping Kaelen's arm tightly.
Emily, Ethan, and Laila had already crossed through the gate, but they hadn't moved away. They stood frozen, eyes wide with terror, powerless to help.
The dragon roared furiously, pulling even harder. Kaelen felt a sharp pain in his ankle, as if his bones were about to shatter. He was on the verge of giving up, of falling into the void, when something unexpected happened.
The blue runes engraved on the gate's frame began to glow, as if a pulse of life was flowing through them. In an instant, all the runes lit up together, emitting a brilliant blue light that engulfed both Kaelen and the dragon. The dragon let out a deafening shriek of pain as it abruptly released its grip, unable to resist the power.
Kaelen surged forward, falling into the gate. He felt as if he were falling into a void—then a flash of brilliant blue light, and then...
Kaelen landed on the ground. It wasn't just solid, but warm, soft, and full of life. The air was indescribably fresh, carrying the scent of rain and rare flowers. He slowly raised his head, expecting to see darkness and monsters, but what he saw made him freeze in place.
They were in a gently glowing forest. The leaves of the trees radiated soft blue and green colors, casting serene shadows over the shimmering grass beneath their feet. Strange-looking flowers bloomed with a faint light, and bioluminescent insects drifted through the air, emitting soft melodies, as if it was natural music unknown to this world.
But what truly took their breath away was the sky.
Gigantic planets in vibrant colors seemed to be suspended on the horizon, glowing from within with a faint light. On the surface of one, clouds seemed like giant creatures moving slowly, as if it were a living entity breathing, while another planet with golden rings floated nearby, its rings appearing like glittering jewels, casting a spectrum of colors across the sky and clouds. The heavens above were filled with shimmering stars—yet they were unlike any stars they had ever known, some of them moving slowly in patterns he had never seen before.
He felt something fading behind him. He quickly turned to stare at the place he had fallen from, but the gate had completely vanished, leaving behind only a faint, circular trace of blue light on the ground, slowly fading like the echo of a memory.
Emily, Caleb, Ethan, and Laila stood around Kaelen, their eyes wide with astonishment and awe. There was no trace of the dragons or the Commander... only this breathtaking world that had swallowed them whole.
"Are... are we dead?" Emily muttered, her voice trembling.
"If this is death... then it's not so bad," Ethan said as he slowly turned, mesmerized by the beauty of the place.
"No... this is not heaven, nor is it hell," Laila whispered, hesitantly touching a glowing leaf. "This is... something else. Something... that feels very ancient."
Kaelen looked around in silence, as mixed feelings of relief, anxiety, and wonder echoed in his heart. The place was overwhelmingly beautiful, but deep down, he knew this was only the beginning.
"Wherever we are... this is not home," he finally said, his voice calm but firm. "But we are alive. And we might not be alone."